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Double-lung transplant gran’s warning to smokers

A GRANDMOTHER who owes her life to a double-lung transplant wants to urge people to stop smoking.

Anne Slevin had smoked for more than 30 years — from the age of 14 until she quit seven years ago when she was diagnosed with emphysema.

The 52-year-old, from Breightmet, stopped smoking when she was diagnosed, but the damage had already been done.

Her health gradually deteriorated and in the past few months Mrs Slevin had been wheelchair- bound and reliant on oxygen 24 hours a day.

However, a successful double-lung transplant at Wythenshawe Hospital in November has changed her life, and Ms Slevin feels as though she has been given a “second chance at life”.

She says she is a “lucky lady” and wants to warn people to listen to the health concerns linked with smoking.

Ms Slevin said: “The doctor said to me 20 years ago that if I didn’t stop smoking I would become housebound and I thought, ‘no I won’t’.

“But they know what they are talking about, and he was right.

“I want to stand on the Town Hall steps and say it on a soapbox to people.

“When you see young kids smoking they think it’s cool or fashionable, but it isn’t, it is dangerous.”

She added: “After the operation, I asked the surgeon what my lungs looked like and he said like popped balloons and said they were in the bin.”

Since her transplant on November 3, Ms Slevin has been recovering well and was allowed home on November 23.

She says the change to her life has been amazing and she is able to do things again with her two daughters and three granddaughters.

“I can breathe and I couldn’t before,” she said.

“I just feel like these lungs I have got now are working with me.

“Before I felt like I was fighting to get my breath.”

Ms Slevin has appealed for people to sign up to join the organ donor register to help save lives.

She said: “Every day I have been thinking about that person who passed away and I am overwhelmed — I will be forever grateful.”

Ms Slevin, who worked as a residential support worker until she was forced to leave due to illhealth last year, hopes to do voluntary work and even wants to take part in a mini-marathon to raise money for Wythenshawe Hospital.

Ms Slevin said: “The doctor said to me 20 years ago that if I didn’t stop smoking I would become housebound and I thought, ‘no I won’t’.

Surely a tale of personal irresponsibility with the taxpayer footing the bill?

If Ms Slevin had been a company, there would be posters on here slamming her.

Quote:
Ms Slevin said: “The doctor said to me 20 years ago that if I didn’t stop smoking I would become housebound and I thought, ‘no I won’t’.
Surely a tale of personal irresponsibility with the taxpayer footing the bill?
If Ms Slevin had been a company, there would be posters on here slamming her.Citizen Cane